A Dozen Steps

The ABC’s II

by Mark on June 5th, 2006

Here is “The ABC’s I”

From “How It Works” pg. 60;

“Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:

a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.

b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.

c) That God could and would if He were sought.”

There is an area where I was once as passionate as any newcomer to comply with “principles” and never waver from what I was told. It was a difficult lesson to learn that I was powerless over people, places and things and if someone wanted to drink, well, they were darn well going to do what they wanted to do. I would have!

The principle today is when someone you know comes and goes, comes and goes etc. etc. etc. You watch as they get worse. You can feel the desperation and the pain. Yet nothing changes. They keep coming and going. It keeps getting worse.

Hospitals. Ambulances. Police. Doctors. Priests. It runs the gamut. You begin to hear that the person’s health has reached a point where they’re on death’s door. Yet they keep drinking and you know, know, you can’t stop it.

There comes a day when a decision has to be made. A very, very tough decision. Very much like the situation with the mom I recently spoke with who’s son wouldn’t, couldn’t stop and she couldn’t fix him. You have to practice the steps for your own peace of mind! You Let Go! And - Let God!

Trouble is - a newcomer has entered the picture late and doesn’t know about all the other times. The newcomer doesn’t understand why you are not reaching out to this person. Didn’t see all the times you had reached out. And has been told repeatedly that when anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of AA always to be there. The newcomer sees it one way.

First Things First. If the newcomer is willing to listen (sometimes they aren’t) point out;

a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. If I couldn’t manage my own life I certainly can’t manage this person’s life.

b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism. I, we, are human powers. We are no better equipped to relieve anyone’s alcoholism than we were our own.

c) That God could and would if He were sought. Can I do anything more loving than to leave someone I care about in God’s hands?

It will require an effort to seek their God from that person (I believe). When you listen to, or look back on, the many stories in AA I think you’ll find that just about all of us, if not all, asked the God we understand for help in our own way before we arrived at these doors.

He also hears the prayers of others.

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POSTED IN: First Step, The Third Step